Body Piercing Glossary

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Safe Sex

• Sexual intercourse conducted in such a way as to NOT exchange bodily fluids that might carry infection.
• Method 1: With partners you are unsure about use barriers such as condoms.
• Method 2: Have your partner tested and see their lab results. In my medical practice I commonly test couples for sexually transmissible diseases before they move on to sexual intercourse without condoms. This method relies on trusting your partner's fidelity and so is less reliable than always using barriers.

Saline

• Usually refers to Normal Saline, 0.9% sodium chloride solution.
• Either buy this from a drug store or make up your own solution: One quarter teaspoon of sea salt is dissolved in 8 ounces (250mls) of bottled water. Sea salt is preferable to table salt as it does not contain added iodine, which could promote a sensitivity reaction.

Scrotal

• The adjective applied to any piercing passing through the skin of the scrotum.
• See Hafada.

Scrotal Ladder

• A series of aligned piercings forming a ladder like pattern on the scrotum.

Scrotum

• The pouch of skin containing the testicles hanging between the legs beneath the penis.
• Can sustain multiple piercings.

Septicaemia

• Overwhelming bacterial infection of the body travelling in the bloodstream.
• Usually fatal if untreated.
• Requires hospital admission for treatment with intravenous antibiotics.
• A very uncommon complication of piercing.

Septum

• Usually refers to a piercing passing through the nasal septum.
• The nasal septum is the hidden midline structure that separates the two the nasal passages.

Septum Retainer

• An item of jewelry used to occupy a nasal septum piercing to ensure it remains open.

Silver

• A brilliant grey-white metal.
• Atomic Number 47
• Chemical Symbol "Ag".
• Melting point 962^oC
• Extensively used in jewelry, on its own or as an alloy in gold jewelry.

Sleeper

• A plain undecorated circle of metal or plastic worn to prevent a piercing closing.
• Using a sleeper carries a risk of damaging the piercing itself if the sharp edges of the join enter and damage the inside of the piercing.

Smiley

• Upper lip frenulum piercing.
• This piercing passes through the fold of skin in the midline between the inside of the upper lip and the gum.

Smoking

• The inhalation of smoke from burning leaves, usually of the tobacco plant.
• Taxing this activity earns governments billions.
• Reduces immunity and slows the rate of healing of piercings.
• Not recommended

Soap

• A cleaning agent produced by the action of potassium or sodium hydroxide upon animal or vegetable fats or oils.
• Soap strips away the skin's natural oils and reduces the surface tension of water.
  The water can then get to places it shouldn't: e.g. in females using soap on the genitals can actually assist bacteria to enter the urethra or vagina and so facilitate urinary or vaginal infections.
• Often contains perfumes and other additives which may harm piercings or provoke allergic reactions.

Spore

• A dormant stage of a bacterium or fungus, equivalent to the seed of a plant.
• Spores are more resistant to heat, cold, chemicals and other harsh conditions than the organism in its usual state.
• Testing of a sterilizer should always check that it is capable of killing spores.

Spore testing

• A method of testing the effectiveness of a sterilizer.
• A vial containing live fungal spores is incubated after passing through a cycle in the sterilizer.
• If any spores grow in the incubator after passing through the sterilizer then the sterilizer is faulty.

Stainless Steel

• Stainless steels are alloys of iron with other metals, containing other elements such as sulphur and carbon, sharing the common properties of not rusting and being able to be polished.
• Most contain nickel and in contact with skin will release significant quantities of nickel. This then will cause an allergic response.
• Only one type, ASTM 316LVM F138-97 Grade, is acceptable in new piercings. It releases very little nickel.

Staphyloccus

• The bacteria usually responsible for most infections of the skin including abscesses, boils and carbuncles.
• May infect piercings.
• Also called "Staph" or "Golden Staph", referring to the species Staphylococcus aureus.

Sterile

• Absolutely devoid of any life.
• In piercing it is essential that all equipment be sterile to minimize the risk of infection.

Sterilization

• The process by which objects are rendered sterile.

Sterilizer

• A device for sterilising surgical instruments at high temperature and high pressure.
• Consists essentially of a sealable chamber into which water is pumped and then superheated to make steam.
• Sterilizers should be tested at regular intervals.
• Modern sterilizers produce a printout that documents each cycle has reached the required temperature for the required length of time.

Sub-incision

• Splitting of the skin down to the urethra on the inferior aspect of the penis.

Supra-orbital nerve

• The branch of the Trigeminal Nerve, the Fifth Cranial Nerve, responsible for feeling on part of the forehead.
• Leaves the skull about one third the way along the medial aspect of the eyebrow.
• Can be damaged by piercing, which presents as numbness on the forehead. The nerve may be damaged by pressure of the jewelry on the nerve.
• A sensible rule is to only pierce on the lateral third of the eyebrow.

Surgical Stainless Steel

• The term "surgical stainless steel" refers to stainless steel that releases very little nickel into the body.
• ASTM 316LVM F138-97 Grade Implantation Steel is the only acceptable form to use in new piercings and is designed to comply with the European Nickel Directive.